How to Stop Apps from Auto-Updating in Android 5.0

Smartphone owners between the ages of 25 and 55 use 29 apps per month, according to a Nielsen report in July 2014. That number doesn't include the 10 or 20 apps that you don’t use but keep around nonetheless. And with the rate of app update roll-outs, that means your phone is constantly draining valuable battery life and using up data by running automatic updates. That may leave you thinking, does every one of those apps need to be always up to date? In Android 5.0 you can turn off auto updating. Here's how.

1. Open the Google Play Store.

2. Swipe in from the left side of the screen or tap the button in the upper left to open up the Play Store menu.

Now you decide when your apps will get updated, not the other way around. Apps can still remind you of important updates upon use, so you don’t have to worry about missing a critical bug fix or new features.

Sam Rutherford is a senior product reviews analyst at Tom's Guide who covers smartphones, car tech and cameras. When he's not immersed in tech, he likes to debate economics, the merits of Dota 2 vs LoL, and the impending AI apocalypse. Follow him on Twitter @SamRutherford.